I'm 15 years-old and I want to help change the world for the better. What can I do now?

Question

I know I might be too young, but there must be something I can do to help! There are so many things that are going wrong like: femine, violence, global warming, poverty, AIDs, racism...
Can you give me an idea of what I could do?

Answer 1

At 15 you are not too young to volunteer. It is fantastic experience, really good fun and you will learn a lot too. There are always places looking for volunteers, particularly young people. You do not have to have a lot of time, even one session of three hours a week.

Some of the most neglected areas for volunteers are old people's homes and clubs. You do not need special skills, just be able to chat or enjoy reading to someone or play card games. Many older people have disabilities, so they can not get around. Visitors who can make them a cup of tea and have time to chat are ALWAYS welcome. Similarly there are lots of clubs for older people but they get few volunteers, again usually the only skills you need to start are being able to sit and listen or perhaps help bring things or run games/activities.

Voluntary work is always looked on very favourably by colleges and employers too.

Answer 2

Hi, I'm happy to see a question like this, it gives some hope. It also reminded me about my own thoughts when I was 15 (wow, almost a half-life ago!). So, my environmentally-wise advices would be (besides some obvious tips like "recycle" and" don't waste energy"):

* Eat less (ideally – none) meat. Have completely meatless days, like Tuesday and Thursday, for example, and then add more. First of all, reduce your beef consumption, eat fish instead.

* Swap cow milk for soy or (even better) oat milk.

* Join a local environmental organisation, maybe your high school's eco-club. Or start one, if you have none, just put up some posters and leave your email, so that interested people may contact you.

* Join some "big" environmental organisation, like Greenpeace or Friends of the Earth. They have very interesting and useful newsletters, from which you can educate yourself on environmental issues. It worked well for me, and helped me to make a career in Greenpeace and WWF later in life.

* Study life sciences (biology, ecology, etc) as well as you can, it really helps you to understand the world around you and have scientific arguments for whatever discussions you might take part in.

* Plan not to own a car, find alternative transportation modes for yourself, like biking, walking, taking a bus.

* Go hiking and spend more time outdoors, observing wildlife and being connected to the rest of living nature. It might give you a great emotional and spiritual uplift, and it's a great way to "recharge your batteries" after intense study or work!

Good luck with everything, don't hesitate to write how it is going for you.

Answer 3

actually I'm also thinking those things and as a 15 year-old girl (also), I want to help in those things because sometimes,when I heard news about those things, I had these feeling of guilt before because I thought I can't do anything about those problem but then I realized that as an individual, we can do so many things. Like in a simple way of doing what you know is really right and you should fight for it!example:I want to help that's why I did some research about global warming etc. and look for some solutions to the problem. we had these seminar in one of my organizations and I used my opportunity to share the problem and encourage my schoolmates to think about the problems and help us to do something about it....and in what I did, I felt very happy because I know that in that way I was able to help in changing the world:):):)

I hope this will help you and inspire you to continue to do what you think is right and for being one of what we call "the little heroes and heroine":)

we can do it!:)

Answer 4

You're never too young to help change the world! The younger people are our future, so its great that you already want to help :)

In terms of helping, here are some suggestions:
-Ask your parents if they can convert your electricity to Green Power (this is simple enough to do, just contact your power supplier)
-Sponsor a child
-If you haven't already got one, start a recycling system in your home, and encourage your school to implement one as well if they haven't already
-Leave water out for birds etc, but only feed them their natural diets (eg, some seed for birds etc - bread is really bad for them)
-Cycle instead
-Choose one or two issues which are most important to you, and concentrate on them... it might be difficult when there's so many things you want to help with (I'm the same) but concentrating on one thing can have a bigger effect
-GOOD LUCK and THANK YOU :)

Answer 5

i also have the same thinking and for doing so i'm preparing to form a group which will have individuals who have same thinking as i hv. U can also do these types of things to help the environment , the WORLD, our COUNTRY ,our PEOPLE. IF U R IN INDIA U CAN CONTACT ME at nyonika_92 @ yahoo.com

Answer 6

Learn to cook good vegetarian and vegan style meals for your family. Bring your lunch to school in reusable containers and remember to clean out the containers when you get home from school so you can use them again. Also use what you have until it wears out.

Answer 7

Be nice to your family and help them when they need it.

Reduce, re-use, recycle.

Volunteer in a local charity.

Join an environmental organization.

Contribute to a charity that helps people to help themselves. One is Practical Action (in the UK). Another is KIVA that gives no-interest loans to help people in developing countries start up a business.

It's nice that you wanna help :-)

Answer 8

When you turn 16 don't get a car. Instead carpool with friends or take the bus, bicycle...etc.

Answer 9

Just work hard and don't worry about things. Live your life.

Answer 10

Encourage everyone you know to spay and neuter their pets. We have a huge pet overpopulation problem.